+ The rate of yam consumption is high in West Africa, thanks to its health benefits. Against this background, there are efforts by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and others to increase yam cultivation using vines and minisett, instead of planting only the head, DANIEL ESSIET
Yam is central to food consumption in West Africa. About 48 million tonnes of yam (95 per cent of global supply) are produced on four million hectares yearly in the sub region, mainly in five countries: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo, with Nigeria alone accounting for 70 per cent of its global supply.